Thursday, 6 June 2013

In Indian-administered Kashmir, a war of words exposes rifts.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, a war of words exposes rifts.

GOWHAR GEELANI

Yasin Malik (L) has accused

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (R) of

“siding with tyrants” and “

safeguarding Indian interests

in Kashmir”. — File photos.

Deep cracks between the two factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq respectively are only too obvious since their split in 2002. But the noticeable rift between Kashmir’s head priest and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yasin Malik has given a new twist to the ongoing movement and divergence within its leadership in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Malik — chief of the pro-independence JKLF — accused Farooq, chairman of APHC-M of “pretence” and “swindling” funds meant for victims of the ongoing conflict. Malik also suggested that the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat was “siding with tyrants” and “safeguarding Indian interests in Kashmir”.

Perchance it is for the first time Malik has overtly leveled charges of such a serious nature against Farooq. “I know what I’m saying. If I cannot prove these allegations I will detach myself from politics,” he told Dawn.com via telephone. Media adviser to APHC-M, Advocate Shahidul Islam told Dawn.com, “It (Malik’s statement) doesn’t deserve a comment. Mirwaiz Umar Sahib has decided not to react on this.”

The latest controversy began when the JKLF chief, despite being invited to a University of Kashmir seminar on June 4, 2013, organised by the Anjuman-e-Shari-e-Shia’an, was “debarred” from speaking on the “freedom movement of Kashmir”. Farooq was the chief guest.

Interestingly, the university authorities seldom allow pro-independence leadership a platform to speak on political issues, especially over the dispute of Kashmir. The state government has pressurised university authorities to curb all political activities and student union politics on the campus. The fact that the APHC-M leadership was allowed to organise a seminar inside the convocation complex of the university in itself has raised many eyebrows.(Courtesy:Dawn) Read More>>>